Kane Co. Reviews Policies Following Hostage Situation at Delnor

KANE COUNTY, IL - The Kane County Sheriff's Office is taking a closer look at its policies and protocol regarding how inmates are kept under guard while outside the jail after an inmate took two nurses hostage at Delnor Community Hospital in Geneva over the weekend. The inmate, Tywon M. Salters, 21, was shot dead when SWAT officers rushed a hospital room where the hostage was held. The Illinois State Police is investigating the officers use of force and the officer who shot Salters has been placed on paid administrative leave.

On Monday evening, the sheriff's office shared more details into the hostage situation Saturday at Delnor that forced the hospital to be placed on lockdown for several hours.

According to authorities, Salters, who had been in custody at the Kane County Jail since March 11, was first brought to Delnor at about 5:40 p.m. after he ate part of his plastic jail-issued sandal and needed medical attention. Salters was charged with two counts of possession of a stolen vehicle. While at Delnor, he underwent surgery to have the plastic piece removed from his stomach.

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He was recovering at the hospital when at about 1 p.m. on May 13, he wrangled a gun away from a Kane County corrections officer who was assigned to guard over him in his third-floor hospital room.

Salters then took a nurse hostage and later took a second nurse hostage and released the first nurse, according to a news release from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office. Salters moved with the second nurse to the first floor of the hospital.

A three-hour standoff followed. Some patients were evacuated and Kane County's SWAT team, which is made up of trained officers from multiple Kane County law enforcement agencies, was called to the scene.

• Delnor Hostage Situation: Investigation Underway After Nurses Held at Gunpoint; Inmate Shot, Killed

Authorities continued to negotiate with Salters throughout the standoff but talks broke down and shortly before 4 p.m., the SWAT team decided to enter the area where Salters was holding the hostage, according to the news release. A member of the SWAT team fired his weapon at Salters, striking him.

The Aurora Beacon-News reported the officer who fired at Salters was from the North Aurora Police Department.

The hostage was removed and received immediate medical attention. Salters also was removed and received immediate medical attention, but he was pronounced dead within minutes by medical personnel.

The nurse was not injured, according to the Aurora Beacon-News.

A member of the SWAT team was shot in the upper body and the bullet was lodged in his protective vest, according to the Daily Herald. It's unclear who shot the officer, Gengler said. The officer was treated and then released from the hospital.

Multiple reviews are being conducted as a result of the incident.

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an internal review of policies, procedures and protocol regarding the transporting of jail detainees and how detainees are kept under guard while outside the jail, according to authorities.

In addition to the SWAT officer who shot Salters being placed on paid administrative leave, the corrections officer who had his gun stolen by Salters has also been placed on leave.

The Illinois State Police is investigating the officer’s deadly use of force. According to Illinois law, the investigators in an officer-involved death, shall, in an expeditious manner, provide a complete report to the state’s attorney’s office where the death occurred. The Kane County State’s Attorney will review the ISP report to determine if the use of force was justified.

“There are many questions to be answered about this incident. I expect that these reviews will be thorough and will provide as complete a picture as possible of what occurred inside Delnor Hospital on May 13," Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said. "When we get those answers, and after we are able to fully examine the investigation, we will share as much as we lawfully can with the public. In the meantime, please understand that it will not be beneficial to the pursuit of justice for us to reveal information piecemeal. Doing so could potentially compromise the integrity of the important work that lies ahead."

Photo caption: Delnor Hospital (left) and Twyon Salters (right) Photo credit: Delnor Hospital's website and Kane County Sheriff's Office